happiness

I’m not sure if I’m lucky or crazy but tonight I just booked my flight for Dublin, Ireland! Now I know most logical people out there are thinking “wait, didn’t she just buy a 50 year old fixer upper LAST MONTH?” Yes, yes I did. But you see, the husband has to go out there for work and I joked that if he didn’t take me with him, he shouldn’t come home (kidding, not kidding). So we’re going, even though it doesn’t make a lot of sense. It puts some of our home projects out a little bit further out but honestly, I’m OK with it. When we were thinking about buying a house, we worried that buying one would end our adventures so while this trip isn’t necessarily convenient, it’s definitely ensuring we don’t end up spending all our extra cash on the house.

But enough about the house, let’s get back to the trip! We’re going to be there at the very beginning of October with the average temperatures being 50-60 degrees with high likelihood of some rain. So this means I’m going to need some new duds since Austin weather is quite a bit different. I’ve looked and looked for cute and comfy shoes that fit the bill and I keep coming back to the same pair, although in different colors. But look at them, can you blame me?

They’re pretty much primed to be travel shoes. A little waterproof spray and the suede should survive most rain, especially if you got them in one of the darker colors. Amazon reviews (who doesn’t live and die by them, honestly?) swear that they’re comfortable all day long despite the wedge heel. I’ve had TOMS flats before and loved how comfy they were so I’m pretty sure these will be as well. One of the best things about these though, is that I think they’ll look great with the skinny jeans I have now and the flare jeans that are SO in this season.

These booties have been out for a season or two so do any of you have them? If so, love or hate them? Also, I would LOVE to hear any recommendations you have for visiting Ireland! I’m so excited to hear anything and everything you recommend!

What do you think would happen if we put some of societies youngest and oldest together? A Seattle nursing home has done just that by putting a preschool inside of a nursing home and the results are magical. The elderly patients, all of whom need assistance themselves, have the opportunity to help the children which has helped them create more social bonds. These relationships are extremely beneficial as many seniors report struggling with loneliness and lack of purpose. The children also gain life skills through this endeavor and learn more patience, and tolerance of differences. Watch the video below and contribute to the kickstarter documentary as the director explores this unconventional and happy arrangement.

*I need to thank you all for the love yesterday- I didn’t expect such an outpouring of support and it was simply wonderful. You guys are the best. A few of your comments actually inspired me to write this post.*

The screen shot above is a mere fraction of the photos I keep on my phone. I have so many photos on my phone, in fact, that my phone is always nearly full. The husband always tells me to delete a few (or more than a few) photos to free up space. Sometimes I do, but most of the time I just can’t. What happens instead is I end up looking through my photos and thinking about the moments each one represents.

Each snapshot is more than the ‘likes’ it receives, it’s a piece of my life. On hard days, or even just really boring moments, I often find mind myself turning on my phone and scrolling through my photos. In doing this, I’m reminded of all of the truly awesome and amazing things about my life. Travel, family, friends, adventures- all of these things are blessings in my life. When life gets a little rough, which it sometimes tends to do, there isn’t much that helps me get out of that funk faster than remembering how good I have it. My phone carries more than enough proof. Proof that I’ve had great moments, truly lived and have been loved.

I will admit that eventually I run out of space (how did I ever think 16 gigs was enough?!) and I have to load some of them to my hard drive. Each time I do this I usually resolve to do two things: 1. Capture and appreciate more of life’s moments and 2. Next time buy a phone with more memory.